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A home daycare can be a rewarding profession for moms who want to stay at home with their own children. Yet, there may not be any other job that is more stressful. Be aware of the 7 biggest stresses and turn them into blessings instead.

STRESSOR #1 – Operating Costs are High
Solution: Apply to have your daycare contracted through the region
Contact someone in Children Services in your region or county regarding becoming a child care provider. A child service worker will come to meet you and discuss the region’s policies. If you like what they have to say you sign a few documents and are well on your way to an increase in pay. The region may pay substantially more than parents will.

STRESSOR #2 – Not Enough Children in Your Care to Off-Set Costs
Solution: Build A Waiting List
A waiting list will be your most valuable asset. Turn over rate is high for home daycares so do not take it personally or become discouraged. Be prepared. Keep your daycare in the public eye by having a website, running a continuous small ad in the local paper and have a sign outside your home. Tell everyone you know what you are doing and ask them to tell a friend.

STRESSOR #3 – Too Much Work, Not Enough “Down Time”
Solution: Schedule regular breaks for yourself
There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath,

Finding ways to de-stress is very important. In order to find balance and moderation there must be things in your life that you enjoy doing that are calming and restorative. Do not try to do it all. Read a book or knit while the children are watching TV. Do something you enjoy. Arrange to have grandparents or friends watch your own children for an evening once a week so you can relax. Do what is relaxing for you and rejuvenate your spirit.

STRESSOR #4 – Cook, Serve, Clean…Cook, Serve, Clean…Over and Over Again
Solution: Create a monthly menu plan to follow and keep it simple.
Again, do not try to do it all. Keep your snacks and meals simple and child-friendly. Use a calendar or spreadsheet to list snacks and lunches for a month. Usually one week will fit on one page. Use this chart when you go shopping and it will allow you to buy in bulk and to catch things when they are on sale. It will also prevent the added frustration of having to think each day about what you want to feed the children only to find out you have run out of a necessary ingredient.

STRESSOR #5 – The Place is a Mess!
Solution – Hire an affordable cleaning service
As soon as your budget allows hire someone to clean your daycare area every one or two weeks. This will be in addition to the daily cleaning you will be doing of course. But it will give you a break and help reduce the spread of germs. You are already doing so much work, let someone else do the deep cleaning.

STRESSOR # 6 – An Accident Happens on Your Property
Solution: Create an Emergency Plan and Kit
Emergencies can happen at any time and any place. Be prepared by having a plan in place. Ask yourself: How would I bring a child to the hospital? Who would stay with the other children while I left? Find helpful information online or attend a course that offers an emergency plan for businesses. Be prepared for anything.

STRESSOR # 7 – Parents Do Not Do What They Say They Will Do.
Solution: Begin a pattern of open communication with parents from day one
Parents may be one of the most unpredictable elements of your business. Start on a good note by having them sign all the necessary documents and talk in detail about the arrangements you will have for their children. Then stay in constant contact with them as issues arise. Try having little notes to send home with their child. Use a newsletter to keep all parents updated and to send out reminders.

Now all you need to do it put this into action. What is your biggest stressor right now? What is one thing you can do today to eliminate your biggest stressor today? What are 5 steps you can take this week to eliminate your stressors and bring more blessings into your life?

Rachel Perry Pellegrini is a certified elementary school teacher. She has been running a home daycare for the past year and writes about her experiences with the intention of helping other mothers overcome obstacles in their own home business. She has a background in Journalism-Print. Her daycare website is http://www.daystardaycare.com and her blog can be found at http://www.thesimpleself-improvementproject.blogspot.com

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What follows is information regarding VISA cards, transaction fees, on line banking advice, debit cards and other financial information concerning expatriates in Spain.

Upon going to open a bank account account in Spain one of the first hurdles you must overcome is that of the language barrier. It may well be that the cashier is a non English speaker and has not experienced opening an account for a foreigner previously. Certain information regarding set-up fees is not always provided accurately or followed through upon either. Having an interpreter with you can significantly reduce the frustration and hassle.

For foreigners, two types of bank accounts are usually available:

Firstly is that of a resident bank account. This allows you to set-up an account in either euros or any other current that your bank offers.

Secondly is that of a Nonresident bank account. This account is normally for those people who do not posses an NIE card and are originally not from Spain. The regulations governing Spanish banks nonresidents are allowed to own bank accounts in foreign currencies or euros. To open the account you must provide valid identification such as your passport or ID number from your country of origin. The main reason for doing this is because you have to hand over a percentage of the interest you earn on your account which is different depending upon your residential status. Usually about once every six months the bank confirms your residency status. Residents of course get the better deal.

Most utilities will be paid as a direct debit from your account although some landlords may request ‘dinero negro’ or more commonly known as cash in hand to avoid declaring their tax accurately.

It is definitely worth shopping around accounts or even considering keeping most of your money back home due to the fact that bank fees are relatively high in Spain. The usual type of fees often apply: per debit card, annual fees, minimum balances and so on. Typical fess of one of the larger banks, La Caixa for transfers into or out of an account are as follows: 0.5% from or to an international account, 0.25% from or to an international account unless it is in the same currency or 0.25% from or to a national non-La Caixa account.

For keeping track of banking records, bank books (known as Libreta) are usually offered but not mandatory. However Visa and Debit cards are of course the most practical and efficient.

Overall the Spanish banking system is very efficient and successful. Online banking is offered by the majority of banks and money transfers are also fast. American Citibanks do exist but the to transfer money overseas the money transfer fee is the same cost as if you were using a different banks account. It is however possible to open an account that operates in several currencies such as UK pounds, US dollars and Euros; however expect the normal baggage of fees to apply.

Finally if you are feeling conscientious a bank known as Caja spends their profits on more culture endeavors and not just to line the pockets of shareholders. Overall their are plenty of methods and opportunities to fit all budgets and requirements so as ever… shop around!

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Ever get that feeling? You know the one I’m talking about, XTZ Foundation’s deadline is next week, they’ve declined you once before and now you find yourself sitting there staring at a blank page.

It seems you’re not alone.

CharityChannel’s online forums, always a wonderful source of inspiration, ideas and practical thinking, are also a barometer of our universal fears. One recent thread that garnered widespread responses centered on fear, specifically “what scares you most” as a grant proposal writer.

Respondents pointed to a variety of common fears, from fearing the initial contact with a new foundation to fear of rejection to fear of leaving out a key component. However, the most basic fear cited was the one inherent in most writers, the fear of the blank page.

“I can only say that it does not matter how long you work in the filed, rather it is a new client, or a new proposal for a current client – a blank page is scary. The beginning of every new proposal is empty white space yet it is filled with so many opportunities to write the perfect proposal. “

How do you craft the perfect cover letter, create an opening, tell your agency’s story in a compelling way that makes the funder want to fund you? How do you get past the blank page syndrome?

Whether it stems from procrastination, frustration or just plain fear – here are a few tools that no grant proposal writer should ever be without.

Testimonials

Testimonials are all around you. They are in the thank you cards your program receives, the messages on the machine in your office, in emails, conversations, and in speeches at recognition events. If your program isn’t in the habit of collecting testimonials, make it a top priority! Actively seek them out by sending surveys to your clients and donors. Get in the habit of keeping a tape recorder handy, and set up a comment page on your website.

Storytelling shows why your donors keep coming back, year after year, and why your staff is so dedicated to your mission. Telling the story of your program through testimonials lets you bring a diversity of voices to your proposal in a way that numbers can’t and helps your application stand apart from the rest, long after the numbers have been forgotten.

Books

There are a number of great books out there on grant proposal writing. Any one of these would give you a little nudge in the right direction:

How to Write Knockout Proposals: What You Must Know (And Say) to Win Funding Every Time by Joseph Barbato A gem of a book – this one’s a precious jewel and just might be all that you need.

Storytelling for Grantseekers by Cheryl A. Clark Teaches you the narrative aspect of the grant proposal. Mine is dog-eared.

Grassroots Grants – by Andy Robinson This one’s full of examples – and great for getting past that blank page.

Five Days to Foundation Grants (available at www.writegrantproposals.com) Ok, this is my own book :. But it’s one that I turn to time and time again for a quick basic reflection on all the information covered in the aforementioned books – and then some. The accompanying grant proposal toolkit – basically a book of templates of successfully funded proposals – always gets me past the hump.

What else? Sometimes music works for me. I once based an entire annual appeal around a Sly and the Family Stone Song – Everybody is a Star!

What’re you waiting for? You’ve got nothing to fear but fear itself.

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Even the best traders in the market have trading sessions that are less than optimal. Human nature dictates that we make mistakes, and trading the stock market is no exception. Subsequently, there is always room for improvement, whether you are a novice trader or a seasoned veteran.

1. Stick to Your Guns – Don’t try to run from the market. The only way to boost trading profits is to stay in the game and keep trading. Running from the trades and the action will keep you out of the market, whether it is hot or cold. Sticking to your trading plan and enacting trading discipline are the keys to producing profits.

2. Set Stop Losses and Take Profits – “Set and forget” trading is generally profitable. When you place each trade, remember to place your exit and stop loss, and then let the market be your guide. Have a preset limit of how much you’re willing to win and how much you can lose. Technical analysis will tell you the best price for selling (near resistance) and the best place for buying (near support). Support and resistance points are the best places to put limit orders.

3. Don’t Watch Minute to Minute – Swing traders should be keen to avoiding the minute to minute movements. It’s easy to set an exit point that will not be hit for three weeks, but then close a potentially profitable trade due to minute by minute movements. There is no reason to get out of a trade for quick profits if you’re in for the long haul. Small ups and downs create temporary stress and can reduce swing traders to day traders. Niche trading works because you’re specialized in your own area.

4. Eliminate High Probability Trading – You wouldn’t expect to make consistent profits at the roulette wheel, and you shouldn’t do the same with your investments. The active, professional trader only takes quality trades opposed to quantity of trades.

5. Accept That Full-Time Day Trading Is Rough – The ups and downs of full-time day trading are very stressful. Find something you can do each day to wind down and get rid of your stressful day to day anxiety. Stress will make you think differently and trade differently. A professional trader will need to find ways to vent their frustrations as bad days do happen to the best of traders.

6. Pick Swing Traders or Day Traders – Know exactly what kind of trader you want to be. It is difficult to be very good at swing trading while following the short term movements of day trading. Define what kind of strategy you want to follow and stick with it.

7. Don’t Get Attached – You’re out to make money, not be married to a stock. Even if you’ve got the feeling that this stock is “the one,” you should be ready to dump it when the price is right.

8. Talk to Other Traders – Talk to other traders with more or different experiences. Getting a feel for the markets is paramount to producing profits. If you can get trading down to a point where it just comes naturally to you, all the better.

About the Author:
Leroy Rushing is an active, professional day trader; trading coach; and author. He is the Founder and CEO of Trading EveryDay, a distinguished provider of educational trading products and services that are available worldwide. Trading EveryDay also has many articles with unique perspectives on day trading

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